Freedom isn't Free

Submitted by Anonymous on 20 September 2012 - 6:13pm

Yesterday, Mike Johanns killed a bill that would have helped Veterans across the U.S.

What would this legislation have done? The United States has one million unemployed Veterans. Women and men who our nation asked to go to war. Soldiers who served our country. And Veterans who returned to find that jobs do not await them. Congress stepped up to solve a problem and help Americans. According to the Washington Post, the Bipartisan Veterans Jobs Corp Bill would have put "veterans back to work tending to the country's federal lands and bolstering local police and fire departments."

This bill was paid for and was bipartisan. Yet through the work of Mike Johanns, Senate Republicans ended legislation that would have put our Veterans back to work.

Why did Mike Johanns collaborate with a handful of his Republican Senators to filibuster the Bipartisan Veterans Jobs Corp Bill and kill it?

2012 is an election year and the election is less than 50 days away so the Senate Republicans were anxious to decimate President Obama's legislative agenda. Senate Republicans like Mike Johanns took a swift kick at President Obama with a procedural tactic to stop the bill. Unfortunately, they were willing to hit anyone who got in their way - like unemployed Veterans. There is no take-back to this maneuver. Congress cannot try again to pass a similar bill until next year.

The lingering question is - what happens in the future?

In July 2012, Deb Fischer told the Fremont Tribune that, "Sen. Johanns and I will work together," Fischer said. "I would hope we would have a seat on Armed Services. I understand how important Offutt (Air Force Base) and StratCom are to the metro area and to the state."

Yes, Johanns understands how important the military is in Nebraska - so important that he willingly hurt Nebraska's Veterans by killing the Bipartisan Veterans Jobs Corp Bill. The election on November 6 presents a critical moment for Veterans with the possible election of Deb Fischer to the U.S. Senate.

Does Nebraska truly need more Republicans like Deb Fischer in the Senate?

Nebraska's Veterans will only lose by electing someone like Deb Fischer who will work together with Mike Johanns to keep them unemployed and set the nation back.

Think Deb Fischer is on Nebraska's side? Think again. Deb Fischer will work with Mike Johanns to further the agenda of the Republican Party. Too bad if that agenda hurts Veterans.